Travel Tuesday - Non-touristy camera bags

I am currently reading a book on shopping and other places to go in Paris.   Yes, I know, me reading a book.  After the day that I have had today I want to go to a place like Les Bains du Marais!  I want to be wild and crazy and have an Oriental massage!  Ok, I’m from the Midwest, we spend a good portion of our lives wrapped in layers of wool. It’s probably not going to happen but it’s a good idea on paper . . .

Check out their web-site and see what you think.

http://www.lesbainsdumarais.fr/

Another website that I found that looks good is –

http://www.parisiensalon.com/

It has an article on something that I have been trying to figure out – what kind of a bag can you carry your camera in so you DON’T look like a tourist?  Can you look like anything BUT a tourist while carrying a camera?

I’m not a bag or purse kind of girl.  Give me a good Coach purse and a good quality wallet and I am set, I don’t care if they never wear out, in fact I prefer them to last forever.  In fact my current wallet is about 15 years old.  And really, doesn’t look bad.  I guess I really have gotten my $85 worth out of it.  I remember looking for the perfect wallet for months.  I found this Bosca one and it was so expensive! I mean even now that is a lot of money to spend on a wallet. (Are my Midwestern values leaking through again?) They still make that wallet by the way, or one just like is, it is the SLENDA FOLD CHECK CLUTCH and you can get it in cognac, black or red.

So I am ok with spending money on a good bag.  I bought my first Coach purse about 20 years ago.  My co-workers thought that I was insane to pay ‘that much money’ on a purse.  Mind you we worked for a well-known department store (which alas no longer exists but is now part of Macy’s) so not only did I get a great discount, I bought it during our ‘employee appreciation’ and got even more discounts on it.  I still have that purse.  It has been sent in once to get the trim replaced.  So who spent more money?  The person who bought a purse for lets say $60 and used it everyday for 10 years, or the person who paid $12 every six months for a new purse because the other one was trash?  Of course now I have been buying my purses used.  I probably have 4, but I can’t put my netbook or one of my cameras in them.

So how about a bag designed by a professional photographer? Check out Epiphanie Bags. My only wish – that the bags were made out of real leather and not synthetic. There is a reason I like Coach purses! My favorite bag? Paris of course!  Ginger comes in a close second and Belle looks nice too.  I think that I might put too much in the Paris bag and regret it!

Here is their website –

www.epiphaniebags.com

There is also listed another site for padded camera bags/purses.  You if you are looking for a fashionable bag for your camera you should check the article out.

If you aren’t looking for fashionable, just practical you can try what I currently use – a padded soft-sided lunch cooler.  It was only $15, and lacks the ‘I’m a camera take me!” look, but has enough compartments for one camera, an extra lens, charger, cords and extra batteries.